Practice
What is narration in English grammar?
Maya said, "I finished the report." Later, her manager told the team that Maya had finished the report. Both sentences give the same news, but the first repeats Maya's words and the second reports them.
Recognize narration as reporting words or thoughts, and change a simple direct statement, question, or instruction into reported speech when the context requires it.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
She said that she would call me the next day. /ʃi sɛd ðæt ʃi wʊd kɔːl mi ðə nɛkst deɪ/
The short answer
Narration reports someone's words or message. Direct speech uses the speaker's quoted words. Reported speech puts the message into a new sentence and may change pronouns, time words, or verb tense.
Direct: Leo said, "I need a break." Reported: Leo said that he needed a break.
Why it works: The reported sentence keeps Leo's message but changes I to he because another person is telling it.
5 more examples
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Nora said, "I am working from home today."
This is direct speech. The quotation marks show Nora's own words.
Not this:Nora said that
she was working from home that day. What changes: This is reported speech. The pronoun, tense, and time expression fit the later report. -
The guide asked, "Where is the station?"
Direct questions keep question word order inside the quotation marks.
Not this:The guide asked
where the station was. What changes: Reported questions use statement word order after the question word. -
Omar asked, "Do you have the receipt?"
This direct question can be answered yes or no.
Not this:Omar asked
if I had the receipt. What changes: Use if or whether to report a yes-or-no question. -
The nurse said, "Please sit here."
The speaker gives a polite instruction in direct speech.
Not this:The nurse
asked me to sit there. What changes: Reported requests often use asked or told plus an object and to plus a verb. -
Ken says, "Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level."
The reporting verb says is present, so the reported version can keep the present tense.
Not this:Ken says that
water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level. What changes: The message is presented as a current general fact.
Read the full guide
First, decide whether you want to quote the speaker or report the message. Use direct speech when the exact words are useful, such as in a conversation, story, or quotation. Use reported speech when you are giving the information in your own words. Then check whose point of view the sentence uses.
Choose direct speech or reported speech
Direct speech repeats the speaker's words and uses quotation marks. Reported speech gives the same message as part of your own sentence. Start by choosing which job your sentence needs to do.
Ava said, "The train is late."
The quotation marks show Ava's direct words.
Ava said that the train was late.
This sentence reports Ava's message without quoting her exact wording.
Report a statement
A reported statement usually follows said, told, explained, or thought. That can introduce the clause, but it is often optional after said. Change the words that depend on the speaker's point of view.
Iris said, "I lost my key yesterday."
Iris said that she had lost her key the day before.
What must change when another person reports I lost my key?
The pronoun I becomes she or he, and yesterday may become the day before when the report is later.
Decide whether tense changes
Past reporting often moves the original tense back: am becomes was, will becomes would, and have finished can become had finished. The context decides. With a present reporting verb or a fact that remains current, keeping the present tense can be clearer.
Mina said, "I will send the file."
Mina said that she would send the file.
The teacher says that the library closes at six.
Says is present, so the current schedule can remain in the present tense.
Report questions with statement order
A reported question does not keep the auxiliary-before-subject order of a direct question. Keep where, when, why, or another question word if the question has one. Use if or whether for a yes-or-no question.
Ravi asked, "When does the class start?"
Ravi asked when the class started.
Which form reports Do they accept cards: if they accept cards or if do they accept cards?
Use if they accept cards. After if, use statement word order.
Report requests and instructions
To report an instruction, name the person who receives it and use to plus the base verb. Choose asked for a request and told, reminded, warned, or advised when the reporting verb gives the needed meaning.
The supervisor told us, "Save your work before you leave."
The supervisor told us to save our work before we left.
How can you report Please email me the form?
You can write: She asked me to email her the form.
Before you go
Remember this
Narration gives another person's words or message. Quote direct speech when the exact words matter. Use reported speech to fit the message into your own sentence. For each reported sentence, check the message type, then check pronouns, time words, and tense from the reporter's point of view.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "What is narration in English grammar?"
What does narration mean in English grammar?
Narration is the way you report what someone said, asked, thought, or instructed. Direct speech gives the speaker's words in quotation marks. Reported speech gives the message as part of the reporter's own sentence, so its grammar can change to fit the new point of view.
Nora said, "I am working from home today."
What is the difference between direct and reported speech?
Direct speech presents the speaker's exact words, such as Maya said, "I am ready." Reported speech gives the message without quoting the words, such as Maya said that she was ready. The reported form may change pronouns, time expressions, or verb tense.
Nora said that she was working from home that day.
Do I always need to change the tense in reported speech?
No. A past reporting verb often leads to a backshift, such as am to was or will to would. Context still matters. When the reporting verb is present or the information is treated as current, the original present tense can remain. Check what time the report describes.
The guide asked, "Where is the station?"
How do I report a question in English?
Keep a question word such as where, when, or why when the original question has one, then use statement word order: She asked where the office was. For a yes-or-no question, use if or whether: He asked if the office was open. Do not keep do or did before the subject.
The guide asked where the station was.
How do I report a request or instruction?
Use a reporting verb, name the listener, and add to plus the base verb. For example, The manager told us to leave means the manager gave that instruction to us. Use asked for a request when that meaning fits: The manager asked us to leave.
Omar asked, "Do you have the receipt?"